People on Raw Diets Don't Overeat

The following information is for education only and is not meant to diagnose, prescribe, or treat illness.

Friday, January 20, 2012 by: Diana Bocco, contributing writer

A study conducted at the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center in Arizona found that people who follow a mainly raw diet are unlikely to overeat. The study, which followed 500 participants over a period of two years, found a striking difference in the amount of food consumed by raw foodists when compared to people who ate a standard diet that contained sugars and processed foods.

The study was led by Lenka Zajic, a clinical assistant who also holds a master in nutrition. Over 800 participants enrolled in the study, with just over 500 completing the two-year ongoing program. The study required participants to fill out questionnaires and surveys on a regular basis and to report on eating habits, health and lifestyle changes.

Raw Foods Lead to Weight Loss

The original purpose of the study wasn't to study dietary habits. Instead, Zajic's main goal was to analyze the health benefits of a raw diet. She found that people who ate a diet that was at least 80 percent raw had the most benefits, experiencing improvement in their allergies, energy levels and overall well-being.

Zajic's also discovered that people on raw diets didn't experience significant weight fluctuations. After adopting a raw diet, 71.6 percent of the participants reported never dieting again. Over 82 percent of the participants who were originally overweight reached their goal weight after switching to a raw diet. Although some participants regained some of the weight originally lost, none of them returned to the high weight they were before they switched to a live-foods diet.

Eating Raw Helps Control Hunger and Stops Overeating

Perhaps more surprising was the finding that people on raw food diets are unlikely to overeat. This is in part due to the non-addictive properties of live foods. People who overeat tend to eat large amounts of fats or processed sugars, both of which fail to play a huge role in a raw diet.

People on raw diets also reported reduced appetite, even though they were eating fewer calories. This is due to the high fiber and water content of these diets. Since both of these elements help increase satiety level, people who consumed large amounts of them felt satisfied and experienced fewer cravings.

With Lower Weight Come Other Benefits

A different study conducted at the Dietary Fibre and the Metabolic Syndrome Group, German Institute of Human Nutrition, found that people eating raw foods had much lower levels of cholesterol and triglycerides and a lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. And Zajic's study found that women who ate a raw food diet had a more stable menstrual cycle and experienced less stress and better sleep.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.iowasource.com/food/lenkastudy_0806.html

http://www.naturalnews.com/026238_food_diet_raw.html

http://jn.nutrition.org/content/135/10/2372.abstract?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=...

Diana Bocco, contributing writer Diana Bocco is a certified nutrition consultant and wellness consultant. She writes for the Discovery Health Channel and has been published in Marie Claire, Health.com and more. You can learn more about her work by visiting her website at www.dianabocco.com. View All Diana's Articles Subscribe To Diana's Article Feed